Missouri Tigers vs Army Black Knights
How can Army possibly lose a game called the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl? The college football odds indicate they won’t. Missouri already struggles mightily against the rush and is now tasked with figuring out a way to stop a flexbone offense that only the military academies run these days.
- Game: Missouri Tigers (6-6) vs. Army Black Knights (8-4)
- Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
- Date/Time: Wednesday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
Betting Lines
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| Missouri | +3½ (-110) | +155 | 57½ (-110o) |
| Army | -3½ (-110) | -175 | 57½ (-110u) |
Missouri: Pretty Much Anyone Can Go Bowling
Missouri failed in its first eight games against the spread before winning three straight ATS. That streak ended with a 34-17 loss to Arkansas in the regular-season finale as a 14½-point favorite in the Las Vegas odds. The Tigers didn’t hang too well with top SEC teams in losing to then-No. 21 Texas A&M and then-No. 1 Georgia by a combined 78-20 score. They also fell to Tennessee 62-24. Missouri’s non-conference slate included a 41-34 overtime setback at Boston College.
Players to Watch
Senior running back Tyler Badie was an AP All-America second-team selection and an SEC first-team pick after leading the conference by a wide margin with 1,604 rushing yards – third-most in the nation. His 1,934 all-purpose yards were second. Badie’s 18 touchdowns led the SEC and included a team-high four receiving scores. Michael Maietti is part of an offensive line that consistently opened holes for Badie and helped protect sophomore quarterback Connor Bazelak. Maietti, a senior center, was a second-team SEC pick. Bazelak completed 65.9 percent of his passes with 16 TDs, but was intercepted 11 times.
Injury Report
There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.
Black Knights Must Rebound from Loss to Rival Navy
Army coach Jeff Monken told reporters that his players “couldn’t care less about the bowl game” prior to their 17-13 loss to Navy as a seven-point favorite when betting online. They will now, but must get their heads straight after a devastating setback. The Black Knights didn’t play the strongest independent schedule in winning eight of 12 games and going 6-6 in the college football spreads. Two losses, though, came against Wisconsin 20-14 and to then-No. 14 Wake Forest 70-56. Army did not cover as a colossal favorite in wins over UConn and UMass, two of the worst teams in the country.
Players to Watch
Twenty-two players have at least one carry, but four have done the bulk of the work. Senior quarterbacks Christian Anderson and Tyhier Tyler have combined for 1,064 yards and rushed for seven touchdowns apiece. Junior fullback Jakobi Buchanan paces the club with 11 touchdowns while sophomore running back Tyrell Robinson has a team-high 603 yards.
Injury Report
There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.
Betting on the Game
The key, as it always is with Army, is whether the opponent can contain its flexbone attack. The Black Knights are No. 2 nationally in rushing offense at 286.4 yards per game, trailing only Air Force’s eye-popping 340.8. Missouri could be in trouble with the sixth-worst run defense at 228.8 yards. Army is 13th at 110.8, but hasn’t seen anyone quite as good as Badie.
The under has delivered in three straight Black Knights games while the low has been the way to go in three of the Tigers’ last four. Sharp bettors are aware of this as the total has dropped 2½ points since opening at 60. Army is 3-0 in the Armed Forces Bowl with victories in 2018, 2017 and 2010. Missouri hasn’t won a bowl game since 2014, losing twice in the interim. It may seem like this game is being played in running time, so the under could be the way to go.
